Review: Fieldrunners for iPad

Overview

Fieldrunners is a tower defense game designed for the iPhone that had been redesigned for the iPad, to learn all about it see our review of the iPhone version. Note all images are clickable for the iPad size.

Features

Let's jump into the features. The iPad version has all five maps that cost $4.99 in the iPhone version. Every single art object has been redesigned for the bigger interface. Brand new animations are included from new deaths to butterflies subtly in the background. The biggest addition is that simply with the bigger screen real estate you can play the whole game seeing the whole map rather than dragging the view as in the iPhone version.

The Good

Fieldrunners was made for the iPad, as truly all tower defense games are. The genre should do really well on the iPad, and Fieldrunners is the best of the iPhone bunch. The game play is second to none as there are three game modes per map with each one providing a different challenge, as well as three levels of difficulty.
It's amazingly simple to drag new towers on the field, and then upgrading your existing arsenal. The game sets up nicely so strategy plays a big role to survive in the long run, but still gives you room for error if you're not prepared for a wave. You can quickly adjust, and provide upgrades to keep your tower defense going.
Now Fieldrunners for iPad features the same five iPhone maps, but it's a whole new experience on the iPad just from the extra size. You can easily and simply drag new towers in from the zoomed out view of looking at the entire map. No more dragging around to see the entire map or to be able to precisely add towers.
The interface is simple, and works perfectly so there is never a mistake when placing towers or upgrading specific ones. You can always zoom in to see the deluxe animations now included in the iPad version.
There is finely detailed art that is beautiful to see on your iPad. The animations are simply amazing with enhancements to the bomb blasts, lightning bolts, and even the goo. Also, the Fieldrunners aren't limited to one stock death animation, but are blown away at all different type of angles, and when electrocuted show up as an X-ray.
Now you can always play the iPhone version right on your iPad. Well I tried it at 1x, and that's the same hassle of panning around the screen the entire game. Then I tried 2x, and it looks blurry and blotchy with the same interface problems. This is one game that truly takes advantage of the bigger size just because the nature of the game.

The Bad

The biggest concern is simply the price of $8 for the same content of the iPhone version which costs $5 with in app purchases. The $3 price difference is well worth it, as the game plays so much better on the iPad. Even if there wasn't brand new art and animations, but just simply the new scale it would be well worth it.
It would have been nice to see some more maps and/or towers at launch, but without the hardware it made it quite tough for Subatomic Studios to achieve. Don't worry though, they have a new iPad specific feature set that is guaranteed to come that will change the way you play tower defense and will only be possible on the iPad.

The Verdict

Fieldrunners takes advantage of the touch interface from the iPhone version coupled with the space of a usual desktop tower defense game, and gives you an amazing experience on the iPad. It looks amazing, and plays even better by being able to adjust your tower defenses while being zoomed out.
Fieldrunners for iPad is a must buy for $8 for people new to the game or even ones who own the iPhone version. This game was made for the iPad for everyone to enjoy.
Written from my iPad